UKGC Ready To Move Forward With Gambling Affordability Checks

Article by : Erik Gibbs Feb 26, 2024

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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has outlined the upcoming stages for affordability checks, including the trial of the advanced tier of checks proposed by the government. This announcement comes a few days before a debate in Westminster Hall next Monday, prompted by a petition urging the abandonment of these contentious checks.

While a comprehensive response to last year’s consultation on affordability checks is scheduled for publication by the industry regulator next month, Tim Miller, the executive director of the Gambling Commission, provided a progress update on the regulator’s stance regarding the two levels of “financial risk checks” outlined in the government’s gambling white paper last year.

At the basic level, customers would undergo checks with a net spend of only £125 (US$160) over 30 days or £500 (US$635) in a year, focusing on publicly available data. Miller disclosed that, following input from the consultation, this level of checks would not mandate bookmakers to consider details like a customer’s postcode or job title.

He provided further details, explaining that the checks would initially be applied at a higher threshold for a short duration. Later in the year, there would be a transition to a lower threshold to ensure a seamless implementation for consumers.

The second level of ‘financial risk’ evaluations is proposed to activate if a bettor accumulates a net loss of £1,000 (US$1,265) within 24 hours or £2,000 (US$2,530) within 90 days, involving more thorough examinations of a customer’s financial situation.

Despite the government’s assurance of seamless checks, there is currently no frictionless method available for acquiring such information.

Miller emphasized that the checks would be smooth for the majority of customers undergoing them. He noted that the commission agrees with consultation feedback advocating for a pilot of this scheme.

Furthermore, he mentioned that the pilot would enable testing of data-sharing practices in collaboration with credit reference agencies and gambling businesses.

The pilot is projected to last approximately four to six months, during which operators are not required to take action based on the received data. However, they are expected to continue implementing existing safety measures.

The UKGC, responding to racing’s lobbying efforts, plans to continue gathering data to determine final thresholds and definitions for loss or expenditure after the pilot phase. The commission and betting operators are working on interim standardized checks, with details to be provided in the comprehensive response document.

The Betting and Gaming Council supports seamless, enhanced spending checks online but emphasizes the need to avoid disruptions for responsible bettors. The government is expected to announce new maximum online slot stakes, aligning with casino regulations.